Title: Beyond Borders
Chapter 10 – Taking Back the Future

"Don, get out of there, it's a trap…Oslo arranged it to take out you and..."

"Don?"

"DON!"

He had only a few seconds to turn and race toward door, get into the hallway before the world around him bright white…fire orange and then pitch black. Ressler's body slams into the side wall before it slumps to the ground, his arms instinctively coming up to protect his head as debris starts to rain down all around and all over him. As soon as the booming stops, Ressler's ears ring before the ringing turns into a dull thud. His brain picks up faint sirens that seem in the distance, voices shouting and his own rapidly beating heart.

Am I dead? No…there was a bomb…no…a missile…Stanton…is he dead? Get up! Check your wounds…call Liz…GET UP!

"Ahhh," Ressler's lips try to offer with a soft gasp as his eyes struggle to flutter open; his body wanting to roll over onto his back. As soon as he opens his mouth to try to call out to Stanton, extra dry dust particles attack his throat and instantly force him to cough violently and his body buckle.

"AHHHH!" Ressler's lips cry out once more as his left hand instantly zooms to his side and comes away with warm crimson sludge – his blood. Cut…stabbed? Shot? Damn….just push past the pain and GET UP!

Ressler's right hand gently wipes away some debris particles from his face as his brain forces his body to slowly upright. The pounding in his ears starts to subside and he realizes the blaring sirens are coming from the floor of the Federal building he's in; the same building that Carlito had paid Oslo to watch and then take out their biggest threat – Roger Stanton.

The room around Ressler finally comes into clear view, his legs folding under him, bringing him to his knees and instantly surveying the damage.

"Stan…ton!" Ressler tries to call out as his lungs once again constrict, forcing his body to buckle and his lips to cry out. His right hand instantly wraps around his chest as his eyes slightly water from the searing pain from his fresh injury. "STANTON!" Ressler yells as he stares in horror at the gaping hole where the two holding cells used to be. He squints into the floating dust and sees a few dark figures slumped over at the far end of the cell; Stanton also trying to hide himself from the impending doom of his death at the hand of a personal betrayer.

"Stanton!" Ressler yells as he uses his left hand to try to pull away a piece of twisted metal debris. He hears a soft moan coming from the corner; his eyes darting to the right as he rushes toward the fallen bodies; Liz still trying to get through on his phone, which is buried beneath a pile of rubble.

He hears another moan but as he gazes upon the chewed up frame before him realizes it's coming from underneath the pile of limbs.

"Where are you…you bastard," Ressler huffs in agony as he pulls away the two dead frames and then leans in closer. But just as he does, his jaw sustains a small blow from Stanton's balled up fist. His head snaps back but he quickly recovers, his lips offering an angry hiss as he leans in, trying to add his own blow to Stanton's bloodied jaw; if for nothing else but to end the mocking laughter.

"You're…next," Stanton gasps as Ressler pulls the two frames all the way off and gazes down with a small gasp of his own; Stanton's chest bloody – death was near.

"Remember when I said…it's over?" Ressler growls as he finally plucks Stanton's broken frame free of its holding place and narrows his eyes. "It's over. I win. My paperwork is back where it should be," Ressler slightly bluffs, knowing it hadn't been fully reinstated just yet but Stanton was dying and Ressler was going to get every last jab in he could. "Red faked your son's death to get your money…"

"No…t…possib…le…"

"Oh it's possible!" Ressler hisses as he holds Stanton by the lapels of his jacket. "And Conchita's safe. So…you lose!"

"Oslo's…not…done…look…up" Stanton offers a whispered gasp as Ressler freezes in place and swivels to the right, staring at the gaping hole as his heart starts to race. For a few seconds the world starts to slow as a small bead of sweat, escapes his damp forehead and starts to slowly slide down his dirty face. He closes his eyes as he pictures the laughing hit-man across the street, feeling secure in his hidden vantage point. But what Ressler doesn't see is what happens in the few seconds it takes him to wait for his fate to be decided.

Oslo lines up Ressler in his scope and prepares to pull the trigger and finish him off for good.

"Say goodbye Agent Ressler," Oslo whispers as his fingers eases back on the high powered sniper rifle.

But in that second the door opens and Oslo's attention is momentarily diverted.

"What hell…"

"Carlito sends his regards," Red smiles as he pulls the trigger on his own gun, striking Norman Oslo between the eyes – instantly killing him."

After that he shoves his gun into his pocket, texts Cooper and disappears with Dembe at his side.

"Oslo's finished!" Ressler looks down in contempt.

"I…" is all Stanton manages before he finally draws his final breath and literally slumps down dead in Ressler's grasp.

"Justice is served," Ressler whispers as he lets Stanton's body drop to the ground, his own body slightly faltering backwards as he hears Liz's voice calling out in the distance.

"DON!"

"Liz," his lips whisper as he takes a step backward, his eyes finally picking up movement to his right. His lips utter a painful gasp as he tries to take a step toward help as it hurries in his direction. His right hand wraps around his chest as he stumbles to his knees.

"Don!" Liz exclaims as she pushes past two uniformed officers and rushes toward his sagging frame. Just as he literally sinks to his knees and his eyes threaten to close, her arms reach out and cradle his frame in her grasp. "Don! Don answer me!"

"Oslo…"

"Cooper's on in. Where are you hit…oh god…HELP US!" Liz shouts as she looks at the fresh blood on Ressler's right hand. "Stay with me Don."

"Stanton's…dead."

"Just don't talk but stay with me," Liz tells him in a frantic tone as his watery blue eyes lift to look at her with a small frown. "I can't lose you," she whispers as her lips rest on his forehead and plant a soft kiss on it.

"Not going…to."

"Help us!" Liz calls out as she watches the medics approaching. "My husband's been injured," she tells them without even thinking to use the word partner first.

"Where?"

"Left…side. Tore…on rebar," Ressler manages with a small grunt as he watches the stretcher near and then looks up at Liz as she blinks back a few tears and gently wipes some fresh blood away from his mouth.

"Help is here," she tells him in a soft tone as the medics gently pry Ressler from her grasp. Her top teeth instantly sink into her bottom lip as she feels him tense in her grasp and then utter a low cry of pain as he's helped to lie down on the stretcher.

As the medics work to get Ressler ready for transport, Liz turns her attention to the area on the floor in the hallway where a body had just been…his body. My husband, she inwardly huffs as she looks at the debris on the floor; the piece of rebar in question that had ripped his side open.

She then turns back and looks at Stanton's broken body, not feeling much remorse as she knows he's not leaving behind a family; his son, happy with his mother and happily oblivious to all the danger that his father was trying to immerse him in. Liz's eyes close as she remembers herself on the phone…telling Ressler it was a trap and then hearing the explosion followed by static. Without saying a word to Meera, she bolted from the room and raced down to the SUV: Meera in tow. The lights went on and she couldn't get to the holding cell fast enough.

"Mrs. Ressler?" One of the medics voice's breaks her from her thoughts, pulling her gaze back at the stretcher that was now being slowly wheeled toward the mangled entrance. "Are you coming?"

"Yes," she replies somewhat numbly as she hurries to Ressler's side. She looks down and offers a strained expression at his rather placid face beneath the oxygen mask and feels her eyes want to instantly well. She grabs his hand under the blanket, feeling a tear escape when his cool fingers curl around her and hold in tightly for a few seconds before it's time to break the bond and reenter the public eye.

She climbs into the back of the elevator; her phone buzzing and demanding some instant attention.

"Tell me you got Oslo," Liz gently demands of Cooper.

"Someone did, but not us. He's dead."

"I'm not sorry. Stanton's dead also."

"How's Don?"

"He was hurt but nothing major was…he's going to be okay," Liz replies with a heavy sigh. "I just don't want to think it's over just yet. What about Don Carlito?"

"His beef was with Stanton, not Ressler. That was Stanton's mess. Stanton's dead so his feud against Ressler is dead also. It could be over. I'll get a ballistics report on the bullet that killed Oslo but I'm sure it'll come up as no match and since Carlito is still in Bogota and we have no Intel to pursue him, it could be over. I'll call you later."

Liz hangs up with Cooper and then looks down at Ressler as he looks up in silence. "Oslo's dead," she tells him in a soft tone as he merely nods and then sinks back into blissful darkness. "Don? Don!"

"He'll be okay," the medic tries to assure her as Liz looks up in haste. "The morphine is kicking in now."

"Anything um…punctured?"

"He got lucky. His side got tore up but nothing major was punctured. From what we saw it could have been worse."

"Okay," Liz replies with a small whisper as she nods but then frowns when she looks back down to see Ressler's eyes still closed. They reach the hospital and Liz can only watch helplessly as Ressler's quickly wheeled toward the Emergency surgical area to be tended do.

She pulls her phone, about to text Red and give him the final update when she turns around and sees him watching her in concern.

"How is he?" Red asks warmly as he pulls back from a brief hug.

"It was close. Oslo blew up the holding cell, hoping to take Stanton and Ressler out at the same time."

"One out of two."

"How'd you know we were here?"

"Donald attracts trouble," Red lightly quips; Liz's frown remaining intact. "He's going to be fine. Now with Stanton and Oslo out of the way you two can just concentrate on getting better and getting down to that mud wrestling place."

"I never told you about Oslo," Liz turns and looks at him in question as Red merely cocks his head and offers a look that tells her not to question – just enjoy the freedom of not having to look over her shoulder.

"I'm glad you're both safe," Red tells her in truth. "Now on to more urgent matters, you know I never did get you a housewarming gift."

"Red…be serious," Liz sighs as she turns to leave. Red's hand quickly reaches out and touches her forearm, making her turn back in wonder.

"I am serious. For bedroom or bathroom?"

"Don's paperwork will be fixed and then…"

"What's really holding you back from making this marriage work?"

"I should go see Don."

"Get rid of Tom's stuff," Red mentions seriously as her expression softens.

"Red…"

"Close that door and make this work."

"Is that why you had someone tamper with Ressler's paperwork?"

"No. I did that to keep him from being deported," Red replies firmly. "You need this."

"Maybe I don't."

"You told me that you wanted a stable home life with someone who loves you for you and gets your job without faking genuine interest."

"Why do I talk to you," Liz grumbles as Red's lips twitch upward.

"Clean out Tom's stuff and make this work."

"Mrs. Ressler?" The ER doctor heads toward them with a small frown.

"Yes? Is my husband okay?" Liz asks in haste, once again tossing out the word husband without really thinking.

"Make this work," Red whispers as he pulls away from Liz and heads toward the door, putting his hat on as Liz watches him go before hurrying after the doctor to see how Ressler was doing. She enters the curtained off recovery room; Ressler looking up with a tired smile.

"Hey," she greets as she hurries to his side, grasps his hand and leans in; his arm pulling her down toward him. She kisses him on the lips just as the doctor reappears. "What happened?"

Ressler's hand tightens around hers as the doctor explains his injuries; somewhat serious but not life threatening. He takes his leave about twenty minutes later, telling them he was keeping Ressler overnight but that Liz could stay with him if she so desired.

"Thank you doctor," she tells him just before he leaves for the night; the nurse would be in a bit later to arrange transport to a recovery room for the night. "I think Red took out Olso."

"Is that the good news?" Ressler asks dryly as Liz smiles and leans in closer.

"You're gonna live?" She gently retorts as he smiles in return. "Here hold on…let me get something," Liz pulls back and grabs one of the soft cloths, "to clean you up with."

"Liz…"

"You have blood and dirt…" she rambles nervously as his hand slowly reaches up and grabs hers. "On your face where…"

"Liz…"

"When I heard the um…the boom and then static and…"

"Liz…"

"You didn't answer and I thought I heard Oslo laughing and…"

"Liz…" Ressler tries again in a firmer tone as Liz finally stops and looks at him with a soft teary expression.

"I thought I lost you," she whispers in soft misery as his hand reaches behind her head and brings her lips down to his and plants a warm kiss on them.

"No. Not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"Do I have to ask you to marry me to prove it?" Ressler softly retorts as her eyes flood with happy tears.

"You're proposing now?"

"Is that a yes?" He counters with a sleepy grin as she nods and kisses him once more. The nurse returns with a porter, telling them they were taking Ressler to his recovery room for the night and that a sleeping chair was set up beside it for Liz to use.

Once the heart monitor and fluid IV's are arranged, the nurse leaves and it's just the two of them once again. Liz gently lifts Ressler's hospital shirt, looking at the wound and then at his watchful glance.

"Looks worse than it feels."

"That's because you're on morphine," she reminds him in truth. "You probably won't even remember this in the morning."

"I'll remember. You said yes."

Her smile widens as she leans in once more and kisses him on the mouth. "Now that this is over, I'll personally attend to those wounds."

"Why not borrow one of those nurse's costumes?" He suggests as her face instantly warms.

"You are trouble Mr. Ressler."

"And you love that about me don't you Mrs. Ressler," he tosses back without even realizing what he just said. For a few brief seconds they stare at each other and the realization that their romance was just taken to the next level by pure heartfelt emotion.

"I do," she whispers as she leans in closer, her body gently folding onto the bed, coming to lean against his uninjured side. "I love you," she whispers once more as her hand tenderly cups his scuffed cheek.

"I love you too," he whispers right back as an unseen watcher smiles before pulling away from the hospital security camera's, pulling his phone and making a call.

"Irwin, send the paperwork through. Reinstate everything."

A/N: Oh of course I couldn't kill Ressler for those still left reading I hope you all like how this wrapped up and a bit more to come so would love your thoughts in a review before you go and thanks so much!